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$ THE GLASS FACTORY. $
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##@&&$\-^. SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. AND A GIFT SHOP. .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. CONSIDERED POOR. .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. SOME ARE SHATTERED. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... $$ ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. $$ $$ ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. ------- $ $ ------- .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. $$ $$ ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... $$ ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... LIT FROM BEHIND. ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. $$ .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. $$ $$ ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... ------- $ $ ------- ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. $$ $$ ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. $$ .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. FLOOR. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. BECOME STILL. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. $$ ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. $$ $$ .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. ------- $ $ ------- ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... $$ $$ ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. $$ ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND .^-\$&&@##
#@&&$\-^.. I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ..^-\$&&@#
@&&$\-^... THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ...^-\$&&@
#@&&$\-^.. ..^-\$&&@#
##@&&$\-^. I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. .^-\$&&@##
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